Combination power cord and carrying strap for portable radios



NOV. 8, 1949 R BAKER 2,487,509

D. COMBINATION POWER CORD AND CARRYING STRAP FOR PORTABLE RADIOS FiledOct. 6, 1948 IIIII'IIIIIIIIIII Inventov: Donald R. Baker",

@mii jd mm H is Attobney Patented Nov. 8,1949

COMBINATION POWER CORD AND CARRY-- ING STRAP FOR PORTABLE RADIOS DonaldR. Baker,

General Electric New York Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to" Company, acorporation of Application October 6, 1948, Serial No. 53,115

1 Claim. 1

, a new and improved method of storing the power cord and attached plugof an alternating current direct current portable radio.

Briefly, the objects of this invention are accomplished' by anadjustable shoulder strap that is equipped for positive attachment tothe cabinet of a radio receiver and so constructed as to contain withinitself the alternating current supply cord.

The features of my invention which I believe to be new and desire toprotect are defined with particularity in the appended claim. Theinvention itself, together with further objects and advantages, may bestbe understood by reference to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is aperspective view of a portable alternating current-direct current radioreceiver embodying the invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views ofportions of the combination alternating current supply cord and shoulderstrap; Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Figs.5 and 6 are views of a modification of an attachment device for use withthe receiver of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the cabinet I of a portable radio designed for operation oneither an external alternating current supply source or internally frombatteries. The radio possesses the usual loud speaker 2, a tuning dial3, tuning knob 4 and volume control 5. A power cord 6 internallyconnected to the radio receiver at 'l for operation on alternatingcurrent is shown attached to the cabinet I by a fastening device 8 toprevent strain on the connection at point I. A device 9 for adjustingthe length of the combination power cord and carrying strap is shownattached to the strap. When adjusted to its shortest length and coupledto the cabinet, the carrying strap 6 comprises a means for transportingthe radio by hand, thus eliminating the necessity of a storage space forthe power supply cord 6 within the cabinet.

With reference to Fig. 2, there is shown a portion of the power supplycord 6 havin an outlet plug I0 making electrical contact with strandedconductors l l and I2 contained within the combination alternatingcurrent supply cord and shoulder carrying strap. The carrying strap I?is formed, preferably in the shape shown in the figure, of a suitableflexible insulating material, such as rubber and contains within it thetwo conductors H and [2 which adapt the carrying strap 6 for use as thesupply cord when use of an external power supply is desired. When in useas the carrying strap, the outlet-plug end may be held back against thestrap by means of a holding device I3 which comprises a thin narrowstrap of suitable material, such as leather, riveted to the carryingstrap 6, the free ends of which may be securely held together by anydesirable fastening means, such as snaps M.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one type of device for coupling thecarrying strap 6 to the radio cabinet I. This view shows the flat 0runderside of the combination power cord and carryin strap 6 with theattached coupling member !5 for fastening the strap to the cabinet I.This figure also shows the combination power supply cord and carryingstrap 6 attached to the radio cabinet I by engagement of the snapfastener 0r coupling member IS with a hook 2| attached to the cabinet,th outlet-plug end of the carrying strap being folded back against thestrap and securely held by the fastening device I 3.

In the cross section of this device, as shown in Fig. 4, a. thin metalbushing l6 may be inserted in a hole through the center of the rubberstrap 6 to protrude on each side, thereby engaging a thin narrow metalband ll which is continuous and which traverses the outer periphery ofthe power cord and carrying strap 6. On the flat or underside of thecarrying strap 6 a metal adapter washer l8 rests against the metal bandI! and secures the eyelet l9 against the metal band l1. On the upper orcurved side of the carrying strap 6 a metal washer 20 is held againstthe metal band l1 by a metal rivet 2| extending through the entireassembly, holding it securely in place. The coupling member l5 linkingwith eyelet I9 is only partially shown in this figure.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of a device used for attaching thepower cord to the receiver I. This device comprises a contact receivingplug or holding device 22 having longitudinal slots 23 and a transversecentral slot 24. Preferably, the two prongs of the outlet plug I0 areprovided with notches 25 so positioned that, when the prongs of the plugare inserted into the slots 23, the notches 25 are coincident with thetransverse slot 24. A latching member 26 pivoted on the contactreceiving plug 22 is arranged to fit into the transverse slot 24 and isprovided with notches 2! which fit into the notches 25 and lock theoutlet plug 10 into the receiving plug 22. Fig. 6 is a view showing theoutlet plug l0 locked into the plug 22 by means of the latch 26.

While the present invention has been described by reference toparticular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerousmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actuallydeparting from the invention. I therefore aim in the appended claim tocover all such equivalent variations as come within th true spirit andscope of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

In a portable radio receiver of the type adapted to be operated fromeither a self-contained unidirectional source or from an externalalternating current source comprising a cabinet, a power cord having oneend attached to said receiver on one side of said cabinet, means forrelieving the strain on said cord at the point of attachment thereof tosaid oneside, a fastening device attached to said receiver at anopposite side thereof, said device including a member for receiving andsecurely holding the other end of said cord, said cord when attached tosaid fastening device forming a carrying strap for said receiver, andmeans for adjusting the length of said strap between the points ofconnection to said receiver.

' DONALD R. BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: v UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 1,404,098 DennisJan. 1'7, 1922 1,561,495 Thompson Nov. 17, 1925 1,694,056 Calkins Dec.4, 1928 1,731,973 Fischer Oct. 15, 1929 1,993,436 Eberhard Mar. 5, 19352,081,656 Anthony May'25, 1937 2,299,058 Mitchell Oct. 13, 1943 OTHERREFERENCES Popular Science, Sept. 1946, page 191. (Copy in ScientificLibrary.)

